An epic tale that is spicy and sweet

When Hassan Haji enters a dusky French restaurant in Mumbai, his mother soothes, “Never be afraid of trying something new, Hassan . . . . It is the spice of life.” With these words she provides her son with the mantra of a lifetime and the pair share an unforgettable feast, the first of many that novelist Richard Morais serves up in his warm and winning debut novel, The Hundred-Foot...